Anyone currently using a Lowepro Pro Trekker 600 AW for transporting photo gear as a carry-on? It seems like when you tighten everything down that it's right on the edge of the carry-on limitations. Any advice or tips appreciated!

Since empty it weighs over 3.5kg, and seeing you are in the Indo-Pacific area, I don't recommend it unless you really need the rain proofing. I find the Lowe Pro overly padded and heavy for air travel. If you are trekking with it, then the waist and shoulder padding will be useful, but if just for tranport, I'd still go with a ThinkTank Airport Acelerator.

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Since empty it weighs over 3.5kg, and seeing you are in the Indo-Pacific area, I don't recommend it unless you really need the rain proofing. I find the Lowe Pro overly padded and heavy for air travel. If you are trekking with it, then the waist and shoulder padding will be useful, but if just for tranport, I'd still go with a ThinkTank Airport Acelerator.

Thanks. It is a bit heavy, but I was unable to find an Airport Accelerator on short notice. We'll see it goes, and hopefully they don't make me check it.

i use the Vertex 300 and so far no issues even on Philipine airlines from Manila to Cebu.. i like it but i am still looking with Envy at a freinds of mines think tank bag...

I hear ya on that - I wish I could fit everything into the ThinkTank AA. That said, I have had no issues with the 600 AW packed to the gills so far. Just flew into Dili this afternoon on Merpati (older 737) and nobody said a word. Fit perfectly in the overhead. Flying with Garuda to Manado on the 5th, and Lion Air from Manado to Ambon on the 14th, and will report back on those flights as well.

Anyone currently using a Lowepro Pro Trekker 600 AW for transporting photo gear as a carry-on? It seems like when you tighten everything down that it's right on the edge of the carry-on limitations. Any advice or tips appreciated!

EDIT: Correction, I have the 300 AW, which is smaller!

I have used this bag for the past 2 years and have traveled nearly 250k miles all around the world with it. I have found that in some 'cramped' situtations the top bag and the laptop sleeve can be removed to make it fit. I have overloaded this bag at one point which ripped the sholder strap (could have been a manufacturing defect?).. but I have otherwise been very happy. I have never had an airline force me to check this bag (Africa/Asia/South America). I have a strong preference for backpacks, as most places I go roller bags are really pointless.

danger zone - what is the weight of your pac fully loaded? i have just booked up for Lembeh and i am concerned? without laptop and some of the Chargers i still weight in at just over 10kg! Flying Silk Air and i ma not sure what they are like for that kind of thing...

danger zone - what is the weight of your pac fully loaded? i have just booked up for Lembeh and i am concerned? without laptop and some of the Chargers i still weight in at just over 10kg! Flying Silk Air and i ma not sure what they are like for that kind of thing...

Fully loaded, if I had my laptop in it, it would be about 20KG. I've been carrying only my laptop in a small backpack, and everything else in the Lowe Pro. So I would say that the Lowe Pro is about 15-16KG. I had no issues flying from Bali to Manado on Garuda with size or weight (with 2 carry-ons), and I'm sitting here with Zee from NAD-Lembeh who says that Silk Air shouldn't weigh your carry-on. I had no issues in Singapore flying to Bali on Air Asia, or Bali to Timor-Leste on Merpati. I'm flying on Lion Air tomorrow morning to Ambon, so we'll see how that goes.

No issues with carrying-on the 600AW with Lion Air from Manado to Ambon, via Makassar. As long as you're one of the first on the plane, as with the other airlines, you'll beat the others to get your bags into the overhead.

They didn't hit you for overweight? I had two checked bags and carry-ons and they nailed me with overweight on everything on my Ra/Ambon flight. I used to use a seahorse hard case as carry-on, but they are weighed regularly. The airlines are really hammering overweight carry-on these days. Heck, Spirit just instituted a $100 fee if your carry-on has to be checked at the gate. Pay or leave it!

They didn't hit you for overweight? I had two checked bags and carry-ons and they nailed me with overweight on everything on my Ra/Ambon flight. I used to use a seahorse hard case as carry-on, but they are weighed regularly. The airlines are really hammering overweight carry-on these days. Heck, Spirit just instituted a $100 fee if your carry-on has to be checked at the gate. Pay or leave it!

Nope - I didn't pay anything extra for carry-on or checked bags with the 29KG dive gear bag, 17KG Trekker and 5KG backpack for 17" laptop. The carry-ons didn't get weighed once. And you're right - in the States there is no way the above would have happened without paying for it.